Playa Lakes Joint Venture

Habitat Trends Literature Review

This project was designed to review the available literature to determine if any trend information (quantity and/or quality) exists for important bird habitats in the PLJV (Associations and Conditions).  PLJV desired this information before making any decisions to begin any new habitat monitoring.  A PLJV report was the final product.

States Affected: All

PLJV Area: All

Value: $3,500

Type: Research

Year: 2006

Partners: Playa Lakes Joint Venture, U.S. Geological Survey

High Plains Landowner Survey 2006

In March through May, 2006, the PLJV conducted a survey of 1,800 landowners in the High Plains region with the purpose of determining the baseline of landowner knowledge of playas and willingness to conduct conservation work.



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States Affected: All

PLJV Area: All

Value: $21,190

Type: Research, Outreach

Year: 2006

Partners: Playa Lakes Joint Venture, DJ Case and Associates

Mass Production of Lesser Prairie-Chicken video

This video was produced in an effort to instill an appreciation of the lesser prairie-chicken and to improve understanding of the issues associated with their long-term conservation.  Funding allowed for the reproduction of 4,000 copies of the film to be distributed to landowners, teachers, USDA field staff, developers, politicians and others who are likely to influence the future of the species.

States Affected: All

PLJV Area: All

Value: $40,100.00

Type: Education, ConocoPhillips, Outreach

Year: 2006

Partners: Kansas Dept of Wildlife and Parks, Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept, Oklahoma Dept of Wildlife Conservation, New Mexico Dept. of Game and Fish, Colorado Division of Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Grasslans Charitable Foundation, ConocoPhillips

Playas: Reflections of Life on the Plains

“The Playas: Reflections of Life on the Plains” is 30-minute film covering playa lakes locations, identification, ecological function, formation, value to birds, other wildlife and aquifer recharge, plus conservation issues such as threats to playas, restoration and protection practices, and cooperative conservation efforts.

States Affected: All

PLJV Area: All

Value: $69,304.00

Type: Outreach, Education

Year: 2006

Partners: ConocoPhillips, Playa Lakes Joint Venture, Lannan Foundation, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Scare Raven Productions, Mass Productions, Roll Camera, Slobe Creative, Mark Brovos, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The Nature Conservancy, Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept, Ducks Unlimited, U.S. Forest Service, Kansas Dept of Wildlife and Parks, Mason Design, Oklahoma Dept of Wildlife Conservation, New Mexico Dept of Game and Fish and landowners

Colorado Capacity Grant 2006

This is the fifth year of state capacity funding directed to the Prairie and Wetland Focus Area Committee. Goals for 2006 included: Continue to provide a forum for interested parties to discuss conservation through workshops and meetings; Continue follow-up visits to landowners in developing and delivering conservation projects; Continue to implement strategies outlined in the PWFA strategic plan.

States Affected: CO

PLJV Area: BCR 18 CO

Value: $40,000.00

Type: Outreach, Habitat, Capacity

Year: 2006

Partners: Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory, Playa Lakes Joint Venture, Colorado Division of Wildlife

Colorado Capacity Grant 2007

Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory’s (RMBO) Prairie Partners program, through the Prairie and Wetlands Focus Area (PWFA), has been accomplishing grass-roots conservation and encouraging on-the-ground habitat projects with the help of PLJV Capacity Grants for five years.  In 2007, the PWFA continued to serve as a conduit between state and federal conservation plans and partnerships and local on-the-ground efforts. This year, the group reached more than 1,000 producers, resource professionals, teachers and students through workshops, informational booths, presentations, and one-on-one visits.   In addition the PWFA raised awareness among NRCS staff about the importance and value of playas to eastern Colorado.  Efforts collectively are helping build capacity and consensus for grassland conservation in eastern Colorado.

States Affected: CO

PLJV Area: BCR 18 CO

Value: $40,000

Type: Capacity

Year: 2007

Partners: Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory, Playa Lakes Joint Venture, and Colorado Division of Wildlife

Education and Bird Banding Station - Lamar, CO

Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory’s (RMBO) Education and Bird Banding Station provides a unique, close-up, and experiential opportunity to educate students, teachers, and the general public about birds and bird habitats, including playa lakes. Migratory songbirds are caught in mist-nets by a permitted bander and program participants can see these birds while learning about bird adaptations, bird behaviors, and habitats. For this project, RMBO was able to provide 23 programs for 483 participants. RMBO also distributed copies of The Playas: Reflections of Life on the Plains videos to 28 teachers who scheduled a program at the bird banding station.

States Affected: CO

PLJV Area: BCR 18 CO

Value: $18,008

Type: Education, ConocoPhillips

Year: 2007

Partners: ConocoPhillips, Playa Lakes Joint Venture, Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Lamar Community College, City of Lamar Parks and Recreation

Establishing and Promoting the Colorado Birding Trail

The Colorado Birding Trail (CBT) consists of a series of driving loops on existing public roadways, with bird and wildlife watching sites designated on each loop. The CBT presently features 175 public and 60 private sites located on 14 driving loops covering more than 1500 miles of roadways in eastern and central Colorado. For this project, partners held several informational meetings and site visits with dozens of landowners in eastern Colorado, resulting not only in signing up sites for the trail, but initiating nearly a dozen wildlife habitat enhancement projects as well.

States Affected: CO

PLJV Area: BCR 18 CO

Value: $23,800

Type: Outreach

Year: 2007

Partners: Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory, Colorado Division of Wildlife, and ConocoPhillips

Golden Eagle Ranch Conservation Easement Phase II

Golden Eagle Ranch donated a 967 acre conservation easement to Ducks Unlimited (DU) in 2007. Located outside Proctor, Colorado, the property encompasses 2,100 acres of riverine, riparian and seasonal wetland habitats mixed with irrigated agriculture along the South Platte River. Combined with an easement donated to DU in 2003, the entire property is now protected from future residential and water development. In addition, the property links the 14 mile Tamarack Ranch State Wildlife Area with several Wetland Reserve Program easements to protect an nearly contiguous 35 miles of riparian wildlife corridor.

States Affected: CO

PLJV Area: BCR 18 CO

Value: $549,145

Type: Habitat

Year: 2007

Partners: Ducks Unlimited, Golden Eagle Ranch, LLC, Playa Lakes Joint Venture

Huerfano Lake Conservation and Restoration Project

Huerfano Lake is a 255-acre wetland located in Pueblo County, Colorado, that provides important habitat for hundreds of nesting and migrating birds such as Lesser Scaup, American Wigeon, American Avocet and Snowy Plover. This project involved installing a fence to keep livestock from the lake and surrounding wetlands, and implementing a Tamarisk-control program. The project area encompasses 400 acres including the lake and surrounding marsh.

States Affected: CO

PLJV Area: BCR 18 CO

Value: $51,296

Type: Habitat, NAWCA

Year: 2007

Partners: Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners Program, Turkey Creek Conservation District, Colorado Division of Wildlife

Lower South Platte Wetland Initiative

This project involved the restoration, acquisition and long-term management of 500 acres of wetlands and 1,100 acres of uplands along the lower South Platte River for the benefit of wildlife as well as municipal and agricultural groundwater users. The Lower South Platte River corridor provides important migratory and nesting habitat for hundreds of thousands of waterfowl such as Northern Pintails, Wood Ducks and Mallards, as well as at-risk species such as Piping Plovers and Interior Least Terns.

States Affected: CO

PLJV Area: BCR 18 CO

Value: $155,500

Type: Habitat, NAWCA

Year: 2007

Partners: South Platte Water Related Activities Program, South Platte Lower River Group, Colorado Water Conservation Board, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, Ducks Unlimited, private landowners

Survey and Assessment of Playas in Colorado, Phase II

This is the second phase of an on-going playa survey project in eastern Colorado. In 2004, RMBO verified the locations and conditions of over 700 playas and formed positive working relationships with over 45 landowners. In phase II, RMBO will continue surveying for playas with a stronger emphasis on bird use during migration. The study will greatly help biological planning for migratory species along a portion of the Central Flyway for which we have minimal scientific understanding as well as ground-truth PLJV GIS on playa numbers and locations.

States Affected: CO

PLJV Area: BCR 18 CO

Value: $43,950.00

Type: ConocoPhillips, Research

Year: 2006

Partners: Colorado Division of Wildlife, Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory, ConocoPhillips, private landowners

CP23a Promotional Meetings in Westen KS

Kansas partners held landowner meetings in five western KS cities - Lakin, Scott City, Colby, Goodland, and Bird City - to provide information to landowners about CP23a and promote enrollment.

States Affected: KS

PLJV Area: BCR 18 KS

Value: $5,400.00

Type: Outreach

Year: 2006

Partners: Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams, Pheasants Forever, Kansas Dept of Wildlife and Parks and the Playa Lakes Joint Venture

Kansas Capacity Grant 2006

This is the third year of state capacity funding directed to the Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams. Goals for 2006 included: increase awareness of playas and other bird habitats by providing educational events and materials to targeted audiences within the PLJV region of Kansas; increase scientific basis of efforts through HABS and KAWS webservice; and expand types of habitat demonstration projects across the PLJV region. With this grant, KAWS held or sponsored 58 public meetings that impacted 1,700 landowners, agency staff and others, and 6 tours to promote PLJV issues with 325 people attending. KAWS also reached over 1,100 people with presentations and another 264 with workshops targeting PLJV issues. Efforts resulted in enrolling more than 800 acres into CP23a in western KS. Overall, KAWS completed 17 habitat projects in the PLJV region of KS worth $288,503.

States Affected: KS

PLJV Area: BCR 19 KS, BCR 18 KS

Value: $40,000.00

Type: Habitat, Capacity, Outreach

Year: 2006

Partners: Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams, Playa Lakes Joint Venture, State Conservation Commission, Pheasants Forever, Kansas Farm Bureau, Tetra Tech, Kansas Dept of Wildlife and Parks,

Kansas Capacity Grant 2007

KAWS worked to accomplish three goals for the PLJV area in Kansas: to increase awareness of playas, associated wetlands and other all-bird habitats region of Kansas, increase partner understanding of PLJV priorities in playa and all-bird conservation, and expand the kinds and types of habitat demonstration projects across the PLJV region in the state. In 2007, KAWS held or sponsored 27 public meetings, tours, workshops and conferences reaching more than 1,000 people. KAWS worked with Kansas Dept of Wildlife and Parks biologists to help promote the CP23a and other Continuous CRP and USDA wetland programs. In total this year, KAWS completed 13 habitat projects in the PLJV region of Kansas in 11 counties worth $302,190.

States Affected: KS

PLJV Area: BCR 18 KS, BCR 19 KS

Value: $40,500

Type: Capacity

Year: 2007

Partners: Playa Lakes Joint Venture, Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams, State Conservation Commission, Pheasants/Quail Forever, Kansas Farm Bureau, Tetra Tech EMI, Kansas Dept. of Wildlife and Parks and others

Prairie Art and History Museum Playa Exhibit Promotion

The Prairie Museum of Art and History Museum was granted funds from the PLJV to purchase advertising and create printed materials to promote the traveling playa exhibit: Playas: Gems of the Plains while it was on display at the museum. 

States Affected: KS

PLJV Area: BCR 18 KS

Value: $845

Type: Outreach

Year: 2006

Partners: Playa Lakes Joint Venture, Prairie Art and History Museum

Deepening Playa Lakes Festival Experiences through Teacher Training

Three teacher training workshops were held in 2006 to prepare educators for Playa Lakes Festivals at their respective schools. A total of 45 elementary school teachers from Highland Park, Cactus and Dumas Elementary schools in Texas, and Chadron, Nebraska attended the trainings. In addition to the trainings, the project resulted in the creation of two electronic brochures promoting Playa Lakes Festivals, a Playa Lakes Fall Migration Tour for the general public, as well as a playa workshop for 17 4-H students and 10 of their instructors.

States Affected: TX, NE

PLJV Area: BCR 18 TX, BCR 18 NE

Value: 8,850

Type: Education, ConocoPhillips

Year: 2006

Partners: Ogallala Commons, ConocoPhillips, Texas Tech University, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Chadron State College, Highland Park Elementary, Cactus Elementary, North Plains Groundwater Conservation District, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

Nebraska Capacity Grant 2006

In 2006, state capacity funding went to two projects: 1) RMBO’s Increasing Capacity for Playa Conservation through Environmental Literacy and 2) PRBE’s Nebraska Natural Legacy Project Implementaion within North Platte Wetlands and Platte Confluence Focus Area.  For project #1, RMBO hosted 2 meetings with FSA and NRCS to increase awareness of shortgrass prairie habitats, one workshop for landowners, educators and resource managers to promote prairie and playa conservation, five one-on-one visits with landowners, and maintained office space in Alliance. For project #2, PRBE enhanced 401 acres of wetland and riparian habitat, monitored habitat for bird use, and conducted a meeting and field trip for landowenrs and resource managers to visit project sites.

States Affected: NE

PLJV Area: BCR 18 NE

Value: $166,255.00

Type: Habitat, Capacity, Outreach

Year: 2006

Partners: Nebraska Environmental Trust, Playa Lakes Joint Venture, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory, Platte River Basin Environments, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Nebraska Forest Service, Twin Cities Development, Twin Platte RC&D, Sandhills RC&D, and private landowners

Nebraska Capacity Grant 2007

States Affected: NE

PLJV Area: BCR 18 NE

Value: $48,191

Type: Capacity

Year: 2007

Partners: Playa Lakes Joint Venture, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Nebraska Environmental Trust

Watershed Festivals for Playa Education

In the spring of 2007, the Ogallala Commons conducted two educational festivals focused on playa and watershed conservation in Sidney, Nebraska, and Friona, Texas. The festivals drew 250 fifth graders from five schools in the surrounding areas. Prior to the festivals, Ogallala Commons held teacher training workshops in each town to prepare educators for the events. In June, Ogallala Commons held a day-long retreat for educators in the Texas Panhandle focused on expanding playa festivals - now in their 4th year - into year-long learning programs for schools.

States Affected: TX, NE

PLJV Area: BCR 18 TX, BCR 18 NE

Value: $51,650

Type: Education, ConocoPhillips

Year: 2007

Partners: ConocoPhillips, Playa Lakes Joint Venture, Ogallala Commons, Quivira Coalition, Western Nebraska Community College, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept., Parmer Co. Soil and Water District, High Plains RC&D, Texas Tech Dept of Wildlife, University of Nebraska, South Platte NRD

Discovering New Ranch Dollars Through Nature

This was a one-day workship targeting landowners, resource managers and rural eastern New Mexico communities about how habitat conservation can return rural community economic opportunities. Observing an improved habitat demonstration site and meeting agency partners committed to developing wildlife conservation improvement offers first-hand information. More than 100 attendees participated.

States Affected: NM

PLJV Area: BCR 18 NM

Value: $16,667.35

Type: ConocoPhillips, Outreach

Year: 2006

Partners: New Mexico Dept. of Tourism, New Mexico Dept. of Economic Development, USDA, National Wild Turkey Federation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ute Creek Cattle Co., Quivera Coalition, New Mexico Assoc. of Conservation Districts, Harding Co. Economic Development, ENMR Telecom, ConocoPhillips and various landowenrs

New Mexico Capacity Grant 2006

This is the fifth year of state capacity funding. For 2006, funding went to The Nature Conservancy of New Mexico whose goal is to implement a comprehensive program to protect natural communities and species and address critical threats to our natural system.  In 2006, the grant helped develop the Sandhill Partnership, Playa Lakes Forum, Discovering New Ranch Dollars, the 5th Annual High Plains Prairie Chicken Festival and birding area in San Jon Woods.

States Affected: NM

PLJV Area: BCR 18 NM

Value: $36,345.00

Type: Habitat, Capacity, Outreach

Year: 2006

Partners: The Nature Conservancy, Playa Lakes Joint Venture, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Grasslans Charitable Foundation

Playa Lakes Education Forum

The Playa Lakes Education Forum was a one-day workshop which educated a total of 50 producers, educators and resource managers about basic playa ecology.  The workshop was held July 12, 2006 at a local playa lake near Broadview, NM.  The day included talks from Dave Haukos of the USFWS and Texas Tech and playa book author Jim Steiert, playa soil sampling led by NRCS Soil Scientist Todd Carr and training for teachers on how to use the playa lakes teaching trunk.  Landowners also learned about playa conservation practices offered through NRCS’s EQIP program.

States Affected: NM

PLJV Area: BCR 18 NM

Value: $11,938.00

Type: Education, ConocoPhillips, Outreach

Year: 2006

Partners: Grasslans Charitable Foundation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, ConocoPhillips, The Nature Conservancy, Natural Resources Conservation Service, New Mexico Dept of Game and Fish, El Llano RC&D, Central Curry Co. SWCD, Broadview Fire Station, Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education, John Wood, Terry Pipkin

High Plains Rolling Museum

The High Plains Rolling Museum is a 5-ton 6x6 former army vehicle which was converted to an education/outreach monster machine on wheels. The Rolling Museum showcases the prairie ecosystems that make the High Plains and the unique wildlife that inhabit them. It is used as a traveling education and outreach tool to reach schools, youth groups, landowner events and the general public.

States Affected: OK

PLJV Area: BCR 19 OK, BCR 18 OK

Value: $27,242.35

Type: Education, ConocoPhillips, Outreach

Year: 2006

Partners: USFWS, Oklahoma Wildilfe and Prairie Heritage Alliance, Oklahoma Dept of Wildlife Conservation, Natural Resources Conservation Service, ConocoPhillips and Schools

Oklahoma Capacity Grant 2006

This is the fourth year of state capacity funding directed to OWPHA. Objectives for 2006 were to: 1) Organize and hold a partner retreat; 2) Conduct meetings throughout the OWPHA region to develop partnerships, promote the Great Plains Trail, and spread education; 3) Distribute information on the importance of playa conservation to landowners; 4) Assist in locating and funding playa conservation projects; 5) Market the Great Plains Trail, finish the trail website and place signage; 6) Provide education training on fire management to landowners.

States Affected: OK

PLJV Area: BCR 19 OK, BCR 18 OK

Value: $56,945.00

Type: Habitat, Capacity, Outreach

Year: 2006

Partners: Natural Resources Conservation Service, Oklahoma Dept of Wildlife Conservation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Oklahoma State University Extension, High Plains RC&D, The Nature Conservancy, Oklahoma Wildlife and Prairie Heritage Alliance, Playa Lakes Joint Venture, Local Conservation Districts

Playa and Wildlife Tourism and Education Training Workshops

Thirteen promotional/educational training events were held to coordinate and provide information to the loops of the Great Plains Trail Map. These meetings showcased the Great Plains Trail map and provided landowners, communities, businesses and others training on: preparing marketing and educational materials; attracting and welcoming tourists; organizing local workgroups; providing education about the importance of wildlife, birds, habitats, wetlands and conservation. This grant also allowed the OWPHA to add a part-time Southwest Coordinator.

States Affected: OK

PLJV Area: BCR 19 OK, BCR 18 OK

Value: $58,056.00

Type: ConocoPhillips, Outreach

Year: 2006

Partners: ConocoPhillips, Oklahoma Dept of Wildlife Conservation, Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Dept, Oklahoma State University, Great Plains Trail Loop communities, Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge, Cimmaron COC, CIMCO, City of Guymon, AEC Foundation, Salt Plains Foundation, Waynoka COC, Great Plains RC&D

Shaffer Playa

This project involved the protection and restoration of a 40-acre playa and 172 acres of associated uplands on private farmland near Gate, OK for the benefit of waterfowl, shorebird and waterbird species of concern such as Northern Pintail, Long-billed Curlew and Black-crowned Night-Heron. The playa is part of a larger 400-acre wetland complex imbedded in 3,000-acres of prairie and farmland which supports important upland birds such as Burrowing Owls and Lesser Prairie-Chickens.

States Affected: OK

PLJV Area: BCR 18 OK

Value: $151,320

Type: NAWCA, Habitat

Year: 2007

Partners: Oklahoma Wildlife and Prairie Heritage Alliance, Playa Lakes Joint Venture, High Plains RC&D, Landowner

Deepening Playa Lakes Festival Experiences through Teacher Training

Three teacher training workshops were held in 2006 to prepare educators for Playa Lakes Festivals at their respective schools. A total of 45 elementary school teachers from Highland Park, Cactus and Dumas Elementary schools in Texas, and Chadron, Nebraska attended the trainings. In addition to the trainings, the project resulted in the creation of two electronic brochures promoting Playa Lakes Festivals, a Playa Lakes Fall Migration Tour for the general public, as well as a playa workshop for 17 4-H students and 10 of their instructors.

States Affected: TX, NE

PLJV Area: BCR 18 TX, BCR 18 NE

Value: 8,850

Type: Education, ConocoPhillips

Year: 2006

Partners: Ogallala Commons, ConocoPhillips, Texas Tech University, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Chadron State College, Highland Park Elementary, Cactus Elementary, North Plains Groundwater Conservation District, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

Goodnight Ranch Playa and Prairie Project

This was a combined habitat restoration and education/outreach project conducted on the historic Goodnight Ranch in Armstrong County, Texas. Habitat restoration involved installing a moist-soil management infrastructure and expanding the native grass buffer on a 6.2-acre playa on the property. A wildlife viewing trail was constructed to connect the historic Charles Goodnight Buffalo Ranch with the playa, as well as a covered viewing area and interpretive signage. The site is owned and managed by the Armstrong County Museum and is available for public access as well as used for museum-led programs.

States Affected: TX

PLJV Area: BCR 18 TX

Value: $12,606.32

Type: Outreach, Habitat, Education, ConocoPhillips

Year: 2006

Partners: ConocoPhillips, Playa Lakes Joint Venture, Armstrong County Museum, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Boy Scouts

Playa Lakes Education Project

With funding from the PLJV, the Ogallala Commons completed its fourth year of hosting Playa Festivals for elementary school students. In 2006, OC hosted three 3-day festivals in Highland Park Elementary, Cactus Elementary, and Tahoka Middle Schools, reaching hundreds of kids and dozens of teachers.

States Affected: TX

PLJV Area: BCR 18 TX

Value: $30,000

Type: ConocoPhillips, Education

Year: 2006

Partners: Playa Lakes Joint Venture, Ogallala Commons, Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Groundwater Conservation Districts and Texas Tech University

Watershed Festivals for Playa Education

In the spring of 2007, the Ogallala Commons conducted two educational festivals focused on playa and watershed conservation in Sidney, Nebraska, and Friona, Texas. The festivals drew 250 fifth graders from five schools in the surrounding areas. Prior to the festivals, Ogallala Commons held teacher training workshops in each town to prepare educators for the events. In June, Ogallala Commons held a day-long retreat for educators in the Texas Panhandle focused on expanding playa festivals - now in their 4th year - into year-long learning programs for schools.

States Affected: TX, NE

PLJV Area: BCR 18 TX, BCR 18 NE

Value: $51,650

Type: Education, ConocoPhillips

Year: 2007

Partners: ConocoPhillips, Playa Lakes Joint Venture, Ogallala Commons, Quivira Coalition, Western Nebraska Community College, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept., Parmer Co. Soil and Water District, High Plains RC&D, Texas Tech Dept of Wildlife, University of Nebraska, South Platte NRD